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By Peter Abraham, Globe Staff

MILWAUKEE — Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington has left the GM Meetings. He offered a few comments on his way out the door.

The Sox, he told reporters, will take "a little breather" this weekend on their managerial search as Cherington and assistant GM Mike Hazen go to the Dominican Republic to meet with team officials there and scouts several Cuban players.

The search for a new manager will resume early next week.

The Red Sox are almost sure to add at least one new candidate to their list. Major league managing experience "is a factor. I wouldn't say it's the overriding factor," Cherington said.

No candidates have been added as of yet.

Cherington also disputed the notion that he wanted Dale Sveum for the job and was undercut by team president Larry Lucchino.

"Absolutely not. I don't know where that comes from," he said.

Cherington was high on Sveum, saying several times over the last week that he was a strong candidate. But in the end the Cubs offered Sveum their job and the Red Sox apparently did not. That after Sveum met with owners John Henry and Tom Werner yesterday.

Cubs president Theo Epstein described his search for a manager as being "in the ninth inning." Sveum could be introduced as the manger of the Cubs as soon as tomorrow.

Epstein's choice of words were likely not by chance. On Nov. 3, Lucchino described the Red Sox as being "in the fourth inning" of their search.

Lucchino appeared at a function in Hartford that night with Bobby Valentine. It would not a surprise if Valentine becomes a factor in the search. Fox Spots reported this afternoon that he had not been ruled out as a candidate.

Valentine, who lives in Stamford, Conn., would welcome the opportunity to compete directly with the Yankees. The question would be how his take-charge personality would mesh with Cherington [and Lucchino for that matter] as the Sox try and rebuild from consecutive third-place finishes.